New balk rule's as good as a hit with fans

Umpires like Joe West, who'd just called a balk on Padres left-hander Eric Stults in this photo from last season, likely won't see a lot of the old "first-and-third" pickoff move by pitchers with a rule change that added it to the list of balks for 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
— AP

Umpires like Joe West, who'd just called a balk on Padres left-hander Eric Stults in this photo from last season, likely won't see a lot of the old "first-and-third" pickoff move by pitchers with a rule change that added it to the list of balks for 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
/ AP

Roberts said he feels spared, too. Spared the inevitable noise that came with The Move.

"People yelling "Balk! Balk! Balk!" said Roberts. "I can't tell you how many times the pitcher moved toward third, then back toward first, then didn't throw, and 20 people behind me were calling for a balk."

Add umps

And for those who actually keep track of such things – hey, it’s baseball – be informed that there will be three new faces replacing three old ones in the full-time, big-league umpiring ranks.

The esteemed Jim Joyce has been made a crew chief. So have Ted Barrett and Fieldin Culbreth, now the youngest crew chiefs at 47 and 49, respectively.

Barrett, who recently received his PhD in theology, already has been blessed as the only ump ever to work home plate in two perfect games. He called balls and strikes in perfectos thrown by the Yankees’ David Cone in 1999 and the Giants’ Matt Cain last year, but also a no-hitter by Ervin Santana in 2011.

Retiring are Tim Tschida, Derryl Cousins and Ed Rapuano, though the latter is staying with Major League Baseball as an umpire evaluator. Among the three young replacements is Manny Gonzalez, the first Venezuelan to be named a full-fledged ump in the majors.